Highlights

PainCart profiling provides one of most robust measures of analgesic efficacy

High inter-subject and intra-subject consistency and repeatability

Mimics a wide variety of pain mechanisms

The tests can be repeated many times, providing pharmacokinetics information

Both single and multiple ascending dose studies can be performed

Summary

PainCart is a comprehensive battery of tests for studying the efficacy of analgesic compounds against several types of pain, including thermal, electrical, chemical, and mechanical pain.
A clear advantage of PainCart is its fully mobile format, allowing researchers to perform the complete battery of tests while on the go. Moreover, the built-in software ensures consistent testing and reliable data capture, handling, and storage

Practical answers to important research questions

Does our compound have the desired analgesic effect?

At CHDR, we maintain a database of PainCart profiles for a wide range of analgesics, including ketamine, fentanyl, ibuprofen, paracetamol, buprenorphine, paracetamol, and several experimental compounds. This database allows use to compare the effects of a new substance with these existing profiles.
Studies performed at CHDR confirm that this approach is highly successful. For example, researchers used PainCart to show that a compound targeting the nerve growth factor (NGF) pathway - a new class of potential analgesics - has a clear therapeutic effect and a profile similar to ibuprofen, revealing anti-inflammatory properties. This approach can also help with the selection of patients for follow-up studies. Importantly, PainCart can also be used to predict whether a putative analgesic compound might not work in clinical studies

What is the optimal dose?

PainCart also excels at providing important information regarding dosage, particularly when paired with other test batteries such as NeuroCart. For example, although NeuroCart demonstrated that a given dose of a GABA-A receptor agonist had a pharmacological effect, PainCart revealed that this dose did not provide sufficient analgesia; however, at higher doses, the expected analgesic effect was observed.

Does our analgesic compound interact with other CNS drugs?

PainCart can also be used to study synergistic and/or other interactions between two analgesic compounds, or between an analgesic and another CNS drug (for example, an antidepressant); this provides researchers with a powerful strategy for reducing the analgesic dose and/or uncovering harmful drug-drug interactions. For example, CHDR used PainCart to measure synergy between two compounds - a selective noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor and an opioid analgesic - in the treatment of neuropathic pain.